eyes."

21. The pestilence was succeeded by a scarcity of the fruits of the
earth, and the report of both calamities by spreading [was followed] by
a variety of wars in the following year, Lucius Valerius a fourth time,
Aulus Manlius a third time, Servius Sulpicius a third time, Lucius
Lucretius, Lucius AEmilius a third time, Marcus Trebonius, being military
tribunes with consular power. Besides the Volscians, assigned by some
fatality to give eternal employment to the Roman soldiery, and the
colonies of Circeii and Velitrae, long meditating a revolt, and Latium
which had been suspected, new enemies suddenly sprung up in the people
of Lanuvium, which had been a most faithful city. The fathers,
considering that this arose from contempt, because the revolt of their
own citizens, the people of Velitrae, had been so long unpunished,
decreed that a proposition should be submitted to the people at the
earliest opportunity on the subject of declaring war against them: and
in order that the commons might be the more disposed for that service,
they appointed five commissioners for distributing the Pomptine land,
and three for conducting a colony to Nepete. Then it was proposed to the
people that they should order a declaration of war; and the plebeian
tribunes in vain endeavouring to dissuade them, all the tribes declared
for war. That year preparations were made for war; the army was not led
out into the field on account of the pestilence. And that delay afforded
full time to the colonists to deprecate the anger of the senate; and a
great number of the people were disposed that a suppliant embassy should
be sent to Rome, had not the public been involved, as is usual, with the
private danger, and the abettors of the revolt from the Romans, through
fear, lest they, being alone answerable for the guilt, might be given up
as victims to the resentment of the Romans, dissuaded the colonies from
counsels of peace. And not only was the embassy obstructed by them in
the senate, but a great part of the commons were excited to make
predatory excursions into the Roman territory. This new injury broke off
all hope of peace. This year a report first originated regarding a
revolt of the Praenestines; and the people of Tusculum, Gabii and Lavici,
into whose territories the incursions had been made, accusing them of
the fact, the senate returned so placid an answer, that it became
evident that less credit was given to the charges, because they w